Family Ties
by nine-orcids
Summary: A 17 year old pregnant Kushina is abandoned by her family. Found by strangers,she is given a new chance at family with a father named Jiraiya. All the while, she dreams of the man she left behind not knowing the blonde isn't that far away. MinaKushi
1. Chapter 1

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

Tear-filled eyes looked down at the small blonde bundle she held in her arms. Her red rimmed purple orbs met the oddly alert deep blue eyes of her newly born son. A thin covering of slightly damp blonde fuss capped his small head. Slanted line like birthmarks marking both of his cheeks, giving him the appearance of having whiskers.

The seemingly happiest moment of her life was stained by sorrow. She truly did love the small newborn bundle of joy she helt, and she'd only knew the little one for about an hour… But he looked to much like _him._ She knew he would always be a reminder of times gone by, forever out of reach. But at least she had him… Her mistake had given her that at least… and her father…

It had all started on _**that**_ morning. The morning after the engagement party of her best friend and her second cousin, Wakamura Maruko. She'd awoken in a strange, but familiar, bed as naked as the day she had been born, and wrapped in the warm arms of _him_. Minato. The boy turned man she'd loved for most of her life. First as a friend, then as a brother, and finally as something more… Not that she ever told him. Until last night that is.

The events of the night before were somewhat cloudy. She could only remember flashes… but those flashes were enough. Someone had spiked the enormous bowl of punch, which she had visited several times before she realized she had a fairly nice buzz going on. The alcohol had given her a nice dose of false courage. Courage to confess to her best friend her most closely guarded secret. The simple truth that she was in love with him.

Minato, who was also quite drunk, had kissed her on receiving the news. One thing had led to another until…this. Her waking up in his arms, entangled with him in his bed and their clothes thrown all over his room.

She'd managed to escape from his bed without him waking and to get her dress back on. But she was sure someone had seen her leave his room, or at least the house.

She found out she was pregnant on March 13, a little over a month after it had happened. In all that time, she'd been able to distance herself from Minato. She was to embarrassed to confront him about what had happen between them and the consequences of the mistake. After all, wasn't he engaged to a member of her family? She'd kept it secret from everyone… or so she thought.

She'd just come home from an ultrasound, her first, and received a sonogram of her child. To her surprise, her father was waiting for her in the foyer. She and her father had never been close. He'd never cared for her, instead ignoring her in favor of her brothers Yusuke and Hiroki. He didn't have a use for her, except possibly to marry her off.

"Good evening Kushina. Have a nice night out?" the vulture like man said, his face showing he was about ready to swoop in to pick the bones of the dead. Without waiting for an answer, he wiped an imaginary crease in his expensively personally tailored Italian suit and said, "I have it on good authority from a dear friend of mine at the hospital that you came in today. This confused me, for I knew nothing about it. With further inquiry I find out you visited the Obstetriciantoday, and the ultrasound technician. It would appear you are hiding something. Well?"

He already knew… she was sure of it. But she told him anyway. Just two words.

"I'm pregnant."

His self confident smile confirmed that he already knew, and that she would do what he commanded. But she wasn't going to give him the self satisfaction. "You will of course terminate it before it becomes known that you are caring a bastard. I assume no one knows?" His smirk grew when she shook her head. "Excellent. My plans won't be disturbed then! We can take a vacation somewhere, Europe perhaps, and have it terminate. When we return you will enter into an engagement with one of my oldest friends, Hebidayu Orochimaru."

"No."

The refusal was out of her mouth before she knew what she was saying. Her arms came up and surrounded her still flat stomach. "No," she said again. "You can't make me get rid of my baby." His frown told her an argument was about to take place. One in fact did, at the end of which she was still refusing.

In anger, he did something she'd never expected. He slapped her across the face, the blow so hard it tossed her back off her feet. He grabbed her hair in his fists and yanked her towards the door. He wretched it open and threw her out into the night.

"From this moment on," he said surprisingly calm, "you are no longer my daughter. You are no longer my blood. You and your name are dead in this house. You shall receive no money or assistance from this family, the Wakamura. Whatever money due you by your mother's death will go to your brothers, who shall receive the same treatment as you should they help you nay even look at you again. You have been warned slut. Not be gone from my property."

With this, he stepped back into the house were she'd grown up and slammed the door in her face. This was how she'd come to be sixteen years old, pregnant, alone, and left to fend for herself.

Somehow, she found herself at a train station. She had very little money on her, only that leftover from her trip to the doctor. Barely enough to buy a train ticket. She knew she should save it, but… she bought a ticket anyway. On the next train leaving the city, the eight pm to Kyoto.

The trip itself and what happened immediately afterward was a blur to her. She wasn't exactly sure what had happen since sitting down on the train that night. It was all a blur of sights and sounds, faces and places. Somehow, she'd found herself at a homeless shelter ran by nuns. They'd taken pity on her and let her stay indefinitely.

Her first clear memory in a long time was of that day. The day everything changed for the better.

It had started as any other day in her new life. She was sitting outside of a somewhat popular coffee-shop. She was dressed in a faded green shirt, dirty patched jeans, and an overcoat that swamped her. An old hat was in her lap and a sign sat against the wall next to her. It read:

**Hungry and Poor**

**Donations Appreciated **

After two months on the streets of Kyoto, her pride was almost nonexistent. She felt no shame at begging now. She would do almost anything for money to buy food, except sell herself that is… that was something she refused to do no matter what. But other things… as long as she kept her child safe…

She didn't know how long she'd been their, or when the squad car pulled up. She didn't know why she didn't run, as she usually did when the authorities showed up. She just felt that that was the wrong thing to do. This was the way it was meant to be…

The two cops, both middle-aged, stepped out of the vehicle. They walked toward her until they stood side-by-side in front of her. She looked up, meeting their eyes. Together, the three kept eye contact for what seemed like forever. Finally, the female cop broke the silence.

"Kid," she said, "You ok?" No answer was forthcoming.

"Are you in some kind of trouble?" she tried again. Still no answer. Sighing, she turned to her partner for help.

"Look girl, we aren't going to hurt you. We got a call down at the station that some kid was soliciting outside this coffee-shop. Our superiors sent us down here to see what we could do to help. We can't do that if you don't answer us, ok? Now I'm Officer Arakawa, and this is Officer Hiroyuki. Now it's your turn. Got a name? Any trouble? Give us a hand here kid."

Slowly, the redheaded girl looked up, and inclined her head in a nod.

"My name is Kushina," she said in a hoarse voice, as if she hadn't said anything in some time, "And yes, I'm in trouble. I'm pregnant… and I think there's something wrong with my baby…"

_The start to my new story. Please review and tell me what you think… or if you have ideas. I'd appreciate those. Please keep in mind that I don't know anything about the Foster Care systems, police, adoption, or police, so I'm making a lot of this up as I go along. Next part should be out soon…_


	2. Chapter 2

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

"Class, this is Uzumaki Kushina. She's a transfer student, coming to us from home schooling. I want you to make her feel welcome and help you out in anyway you can. That includes schoolwork, because she obviously didn't pay attention in health class. Otherwise she'd be start enough to use protection and not get pregnant, am I right?"

The class representative's introduction was met with laughter from the assembled students. She felt herself grow red, which only proved to make their laughter louder. "All right class, settle down!" she heard the teacher call out, but to deaf ears. The class's exuberant laughter wasn't quieted until another girl, who sat in the back, stood up

"All of you shut the heck up! Or do you have something to say about it?" she growled out loudly, looking a little canine at the time. She had long spiky brown hair, vertical slit-like pupils, elongated canine teeth and nails. She also had red fang markings tattooed on her cheeks and wore a dark shade of purple lipstick and eye shadow. She wore a baggy black shirt featuring a band logo, blue jeans, and a pair of worn combat boots. For a moment, the redhead found it weird that she wasn't wearing the school's blue and white uniform. Then she noticed why.

"Inuzuka, thank you for quieting the room, but please take your seat," the teacher commanded, his voice uncommonly loud in the newly silent room. "Kushina, you can sit next to Inuzuka over there. I'm sure to two will have a lot to talk about." She couldn't agree more. For under the loose black shirt, was the extended stomach of a heavily advanced pregnancy.

As she walked toward the back of the room and her fellow expecting teenager, she felt her mind wonder over the events that had led her to be in this classroom.

The two officers who had gotten her off the street had taken her straight to a local hospital. While there, she'd gotten a full checkup. She'd been told she was malnourished and it was affecting her child, who was under weight. Other than that, she was perfectly fine.

From there, they'd gone to CPS. They'd asked her a ton of questions, most of which she refused to answer. Only giving her first name, age, birthday, and the fact that she had no parents, which was somewhat true. Her mother had died when she was three and her father had throw her out of the house and family.

That was all they could get from her, and from then on she was in the system. Just another kid who no one wanted and had problems. Her next stop had been her new foster home. The townhouse of one Uzumaki Jiraiya, popular author of numerous books. She was a mystery to them, so they planned to leave her alone. They didn't exactly know what else to do with her. To be perfectly honest, leaving her exactly where she was, was the best thing they could've done.

Right from the start, the two had gotten along without a complaint. Even if Jiraiya was a pervert and Kushina a tomboy. She'd been there for two months, and he already felt like she was his own child. He found it rewarding to raise a child, even if she were barely a child anymore, to take her to her sonograms and doctor's appointments. Time passed quickly, and the old bachelor loved the fullness she brought to his life. So he did something about it. It happen on Tuesday, June 3rd. They were at the local Ramen Stand for the third time that week, Salt Ramen being her major pregnancy craving.

"Kushina," he said, waiting for her to acknowledge him before he said anything. "I know the school year is almost up, but they want me to put you in school. I have to take you by the administrations office next week to take some tests, but before that… it's come to my attention that you have no last name. So… I thought we should do something about it. How about you take mine?"

The redhead slurped a few more noodles, finishing her bowl, before she said anything.

"Like a legal name change?"

"No… Kushina, I'm wanting to…well, I want to adopt you kid. You've grown on me these last few months and made me realize just how boring my life is. I look forward to getting up every morning to hang out with you, or hearing about your plans for the kid. I actually want it to call me grandpa when it finally gets here, even though I'm only thirty-five! So what do you say?"

She just stared at him. Stared at him so long, he feared she would say no. But then, a smile lit up her face as she began to nod enthusiastically. "Yes!" she cried as she launched herself at him and rapped her arms around her neck, "I'd love that!"

Afterward, they'd quickly gone through all the necessary paperwork and her name was changed. Sadly, he hadn't been able to adopt her. There were to many gaps in her information. But, he was appointed her legal guardian. She was officially Uzumaki Kushina, foster daughter of Uzumaki Jiraiya. She'd taken the required tests, and here she was now sitting in a high school classroom next to another pregnant girl!

The girl, Tsume, was obviously a punk and she was curious to hear her story. She figured the best way to start was by an introduction.

"Thank you… for sticking up for me there," she whispered to the brunette as their teacher began calling role.

"No problem," was her answer, "I know how it feels to be in that particular spotlight. I hate it and hate to see others in the same situation. Name's Inuzuka Tsume," she said, holding out her hand.

"Uzumaki Kushina," she answered while taking the offered limb.

"I know, the teacher just said!" she exclaimed quietly with a small smile.

Since homeroom was a free period, they spent it getting acquainted.

"This little one is my second," she said lovingly, placing her hand on her extended stomach. "I have another one at home, a little girl. My Hana-chan, she's four. Had her when I was fifteen. Anyway, this one? This one's a boy, and due next month. Can't wait for the little monster to get here. Probably loose half next semester like Hana, but oh well. You know when you're due?"

People said she herself was a chatter box and hyper, but she had nothing on Tsume when the woman was riled up.

"Shina-chan, due date?"

"Oh yeah! October 15! I don't know it's sex yet, so I haven't got a name. do you?" "Yep! Gonna call the little ingrate Kiba."

The two kept talking, bantering back and fourth until almost the end of the period.

"You know, if you're interested," the brunette said suddenly, "a couple of us started a support group for teen parents. We've only got a few couples… one or two singles, but we get together a lot. Offer support for birthing and junk. You should come check it out… all we really do is complain about pregnancy and our kids… It's great!

Before the redhead could answer, the bell rang signaling the end of class.

"If you want to come, we meet in Akane's Coffeehouse on 1st Street at 4:30. You should come!" With that, she was gone.

* * *

><p>The blonde teen stared at the ceiling, his eyes slightly glazed as he attempted to listen to his mother and fiancé go over detail after boring detail of the upcoming wedding. He didn't know why he was forced to attend these meeting between the two women and the wedding coordinator. He never gave any input, instead just agreed with whatever was being said. The only time he'd actually interfered with the planning was when they tried to get him to wear a bright pink tuxedo.<p>

With nothing else to do, his mind often wondered, often to that night. One he knew would probably be the best of his life. The night he'd gotten to be with her. Although the memories were dulled and blurry from the alcohol, he still remembered her in his arms. The feelings…the tastes…the sounds…

But he had not known it could be like that. The raw physical need taking over… the act itself, desperate and frantic… wonderful.

Afterward, he'd wanted to run his fingers through her hair, caress her, have her cuddled to his body and safe in his arms…but he'd pasted out, promising himself he'd do it when he regained consciousness. But…she hadn't been there. All her clothes were gone, and no trace that she'd even been there was left. Only the faint smell of her perfume.

"Minato, you haven't said anything for awhile. Something on your mind?" The soft voice of his future wife, as dictated by the arrangements of his father and her uncle, breaking him out of his musing and bringing his back to alertness.

"Oh…no. Just considering if we should invite Aunt Tsunade." At the mention of her sister, his mother pursed her lips. Her sister had been a sticky subject for her ever since they were young and there had been rumors of a scandal. He didn't know what had happen, but it had tore the once close siblings apart. She was still his favorite aunt though.

"I don't know if I really want her at the wedding Minato-kun," Maruko said, turning toward his mother. "I know she's your aunt and all, but… considering the scandal…"

She knew? What exactly had happen?


	3. Chapter 3

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

"Kushina, over here!" she heard, the voice of Tsume calling from a corner of the crowded coffeehouse. "I'm glad you decided to come after all, I didn't think you would at school."

Smiling, the redhead headed over to the group of tables pushed together and the people who surrounded them. "Everyone, this is that new girl I was telling you about, Kushina this is the Family Ties Club. Aburame Shibi, his girlfriend Toramitshi Matsuri, and their six month old son Shino. That's Nara Shikaku and his wife Yoshino, then Yamanaka Inoichi and his wife Ume. Akamitchi Chouza, his wife Yumi, and their son Chouji. Amura Sayama and her daughter Tenten, my daughter Hana, and last but not least, my brother Taka, who comes only to try and meet girls. Say hi everyone!" Tsume said, indicating the person when she said their name.

Everyone nodded toward her, a smile on all their faces minus the kids and the one introduced as Shibi. Later on, she was assured that it wasn't that he didn't like her but he was just like that with everybody except Matsuri.

"So Kushina, when are you do?" Sayama asked, playing with her one year old daughter. "October 15. I don't know what the sex is yet thought. I don't find that out until next month" "Are you excited to find out?"

"Yeah, I am! So' my dad. He'd already trying to decorate a nursery! It's so sweet, he really can't waif for the kid to get here, learn to talk, and start calling him grandpa."

"What about the baby's father?" Akamitchi Yumi asked, causing the light mood that had formed to crumble.

"There…there isn't a father. At least not one that will be our lives anyway. Only mine…"

* * *

><p>"Nato-kun, what do you think of pink roses for the ceremony, with lavender and forget-me-nots?" No answer. "Nato-kun?" Still none. "Minato-kun!"<p>

The sharp voice of his fiancé finally broke through the mists and into his funk. "Huh? What?" He'd been thinking of Kushina again. The fiery redhead refused to leave him alone lately, ever since she'd disappeared.

"Is something wrong Minato-kun? You're been like this a lot lately." "It's nothing Maruko-chan." It wasn't nothing.

He'd felt weird ever since he'd found out that even Maruko knew what had happen with his aunt, yet everyone refused to say anything on the subject to him. The news had been on his mind ever since that particular wedding the month before. **(A/N: Quick thing… the sections on Minato and Kushina are not taking place in the same time right now. It's in different months. Kushina is in June, Minato's in April. Time's will come together later on in the story. Send me a message if you don't understand please…sorry for any inconveniences.)**

"Are you sure? You're been lacking focus a lot in the last few months, and to be honest we're worried. Even your tutor says you've been slacking off on your studies. What's going on Minato-kun?"

Silence. Sounds of breathing, but silence. "I think… I think it's just the wedding and all. I'm still not really used to it yet and I've been somewhat stressed out lately… Plus you know Kushina's missing and all…"

More silence.

"I was thinking… I'd like to go away for awhile. Get away from all the craziness and relax. Let you plan the wedding by yourself. I don't really do anything but sit around anyway. What do you say? I could come back when the wedding is here."

"Well…I think you should talk to your parents about that. You still need their permission to travel, don't you? You're only seventeen after all.

"Alright…"

"Where would you go anyway?"

To solve a mystery perhaps?"

* * *

><p>The train pulled into the station at 10:30 in the morning. The blonde sighed as they slowed to a stop, then grabbed his bag and headed for the door. He was in Kyoto, the longtime home of his favorite aunt and the starting place for his new investigation.<p>

On? What had happen near twenty years ago. His parents hadn't wanted him to come, but in the end he'd convinced them. They had no idea how important this was to him.

**Flashback**

"Minato, why would you want to go and visit her for? You see her every Christmas, isn't that enough?" his mother cried out, desperation in her voice.

"If you want to go away, why not go to the vacation house in Hawaii?" his father asked.

He'd just told them that he wanted to visit Tsunade and maybe stay with her until the wedding. Something he'd come up with on root to ask for their permission. His argument?

"You guys have already decreed she can't come to the ceremony, now I can't even go see her? WHY NOT! She's my aunt whether you two like her or no and I rarely get to see her! I'm bored and stressed out here. I should get to decide for myself what to do about it. I'm already getting married without saying anything to a girl I barely know and don't really want! The least you can do is let me spend the remainder of the little time I have left how I want to, which is to spend it with Aunt Tsu!

They'd argued about it for hours, and in the end they finally agreed to let him come. After a tense phone call on his mother's part, he was on his way.

**End Flashback**

"Nato-kun! Over here!" he heard, the excited voice his mom's younger blonde sister.

"Aunt Tsunade!" he ran toward her and engulfed her in a hug. Pulling back, he saw that he was now several inches taller than the petite woman.

"Look at you!" she exclaimed excitedly. "You're huge! What have you been eating? And the wedding! How's that coming on?

The two started talking as they headed outside the station and headed toward Tsunade's apartment. It was a few miles from the train depot, so they had many things to talk about. One such was how long he would stay. Until the wedding, the coming December. Eight months away.

Another was of his schooling. He was used to study all year round except for around Christmas and other holidays. His tutor had stayed in Tokyo for his wife though. The woman's mother was in the hospital. So, when the coming school year began, he would enroll as a senior. He could've already started, but he had already completed the course of study that the local schools required for Juniors.

* * *

><p>The august wind blew against the brick apartment building. Two months had passed since he'd come to live with his aunt and his life had never been better…except since Kushina had left… He'd gotten a job for the first time in his life. Tsunade was a doctor, and so not rich. To earn spending money for recreational purposes, he earned his own money working and waiting tables at Akane's Coffeehouse.<p>

On this particular day of his stay, both of them had a rare day off and so were cleaning her office. It was on this day that he found the answer to the thing that had brought him here in the first place.

The answer, a single piece of paper. A birth certificate. One that scared him more than anything had ever done in his life. His birthday. His first name. The time and weight of his birth. Under parents…two names. An unfamiliar man's name and…Senju Tsunade. The name of his aunt.

"Um…Aunt Tsu? Can I talk to you for a minute?"


	4. Chapter 4

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

"Sure, what do you want to talk about Minato-kun?" she asked, a smile on her face as she looked up from her charts.

"This," he said, holding up the newly found document that scared the living daylights out of him. Why wouldn't it? In just a few minutes, it had made him question his identity.

"Where did you get that?" Tsunade's asked, her voice shaky and desperate. "It doesn't matter where I got it aunt. What matters is what the heck it says! Why is a birth certificate in your possession that has my first name, birthday, birth weight, and such, but lists parents as you and some guy named Jiraiya! What's going on! You don't even have children!"

Throughout his rant, she looked away. Even when he fell silent, she didn't say anything. Or at least that's what he thought until he heard her quiet sobs.

"Y-you were never suppose to find out. N-no one was. That I got pregnant when I was eighteen, when Yuki had just gotten married…" she probably would have said more, except she burst into tears. Because of the painful memories or because he'd found out, he didn't know. After awhile, she did calm down enough to explain. Then the whole story came out.

"When I was sixteen years old, I convinced my parents to let me go away for school. I entered Konoha academy, back in Tokyo. There, we were put in homerooms and further broken down into three person squads, called cells. This was for better chances of academic advancement. The ones with lowest test scores teamed up with the smartest so that they actually had a chance at the school's rigorous courses. It was a good plan because the cells were also put under the charge of a teacher or upperclassman to personally guide. I had the highest test scores of the females and so was put with Hebidayu Orochimaru, top of the class, and Namikaze Jiraiya, dead last, gangster, and he'd already been helt back twice. From the beginning, it was no secret that both were interested in me, both for their own reasons."

"Orochimaru was of my social standing. The son of a man just as rich or even richer than my father…your grandfather. He'd been sent to the school by his parents for two reasons. Because it was one of the best schools in the country, and to get close to me. They were planning on approaching my father with a marriage proposal when I turned eighteen. The fact that we were on the same team was just an added bonus. My parents knew about it and planned to accept…even though it wasn't what I wanted."

"Jiraiya, on the other hand, was convinced he was in love with me. Everyone knew it, even me. He didn't exactly try to hide it. The man was a pervert, and was always trying to peak at girls in the locker room. He even went as far as to promise he'd stop peeping on girls if I'd agree to be his girlfriend. That he would be solely committed to me. I used to laugh at him for it… but then I realized what it could do for me. Offer me a way out of an unwanted marriage to a man I really didn't like. An escape…and I took it. I began using his feelings for me…and did the one thing I could think of that would save me. I got pregnant at seventeen."

"By the time my parents found out, it was to late. An abortion had to be done by twelve weeks, or the fetus is to far developed. It was fourteen weeks before they found out. So that option was taken from them, as well as adoption. People would know if they went with adoption and their reputations would be ruined. But they had to punish me someway and come up with a story before I began to show. So they came up with the perfect plan to hurt me and save themselves."

"Yuki had just gotten married, to the man you know as your father. Nobuhiho Dan, an ex-boyfriend of mine. Our parents put it out that I had been caught in bed with him before their wedding. This was entirely believable to people because of the previous relationship. To save him, it was also put out that we were drunk. They'd found out before the wedding that Yuki was unable to carry children. So it was said that to make up for what I'd supposedly done, I'd agreed to become a surrogate mother for them. Everyone thought that my child was their's, and legal papers were drawn up so that you would go to them when you were born."

"Ever since, ties with them have been shaky. They took my baby away from me to raise as my sister's. Jiraiya had found out I'd used him, so he changed his name and moved away without knowing the truth. That during our relationship, I'd grown to love him. That together, we'd conceived a child."

"I was heartbroken… after all, I'd lost everything I held dear. My family, the love of my life, my son… So I packed up, cut all ties but one, and headed off to medical school. I only went back once a year, and that was only to see you."

"So now you know. Everything. That…I'm your mother."

* * *

><p>"Kushina, will you do me the honor of going out with me?" Inuzuka Taka asked the flustered redhead as she looked threw the glass of the hospital nursery window at the small brown headed red fanged cheeked bundle that was the two hour old Inuzuka Kiba.<p>

"Huh? Taka, what in the heck are you talking about? Your sister just had a baby and you're gonna ask out her six month pregnant friend in the middle of a hallway? Do you not see the wrong in that?"

It was July 7. Two hours before, Tsume's twenty-three hours of labor had ended, bringing forth the eight pound three ounce crying baby who had inherited his mother's strange fang shaped birthmarks that she had took for tattoos when she'd first met the eccentric woman. The beautiful baby was a near exact copy of his canine like mother.

Four year old Hana was currently in her mother's arms, both of them napping after the restless night. It was a good thing for the punk rock looking woman as she hadn't had a good rest in a month. Even less in the last month. Her due date had been July 10, or more specifically Kushina's birthday. Two quiet celebrations had been planned for her. A party with the Family Ties Club at good Ol' Akane's, then a small family dinner with Jiraiya. She was going to turn seventeen.

"Well, I was gonna ask you out at your party, but this seemed like a better choice. After all, I don't think we'll be doing the party now that Tsume's in the hospital… I've been wanting to ask you out since the first time I met you anyway!"

Her violet eyes left the sleeping infant and glanced over to meet the gray-blue ones of his uncle. "Alright… pick me up at 7:30 on Saturday night. You can take me to dinner. And expect an interrogation courtesy of Jiraiya." Then she turned and walked back toward her friends room, a smile on her face.

* * *

><p>It was the week after her first three dates with Taka, and she was currently spending a quiet evening at home with her unofficial adopted father. She'd finally found out the gender of her baby, and was trying to find a name she liked. She'd poured through several books of baby names and had yet to find one she liked. Tonight though, she was taking a break from annoying baby names and reading a dark green bound book entitle <strong>Tales of a Gutsy Shinobi <strong>by one Gamakage, AKA, Uzumaki Jiraiya. She was halfway through and she did believe she'd found her name.

"Hey dad? Can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure hun… what is it?"

"Can I name the little cretin after the main character of your book?"

Sounds of something dropping and sputtering. "WHAT?"

"Can I name the little cretin after the main charac-" "No! I heard you the first time Shina-chan! I'm wanting to know why the heck you want to name him something I randomly came up with while eating ramen!"

She smiled at the older man. "Cause he's brave, never gives up, never goes back on his word, and never gives up on his friends. That's how I want my son to be, so it's perfect! So can I?"

He sighed and smiled warmly at her enthusiasm. "If that's what you want Shina…you do realize that makes me his godfather as well as his unofficial grandfather right? Are you sure you can handle this perverted old man so close to him?"

She smiled even more.

"Jiraiya, I wouldn't have it any other way!"

* * *

><p>"Hey Namikaze! Come here, I gotta job for you!"<p>

The blonde turned from where he'd previously been cleaning the coffer makers. His middle-aged boss, Shibashi Takei, stood in front of him. He held a stack of black wood frames, the pictures facing away from him.

"Yes sir?"

Holding out the frames, the balding man said, "We're doing a new project for the customers. We're making the place more homey by putting up pictures of our regulars. This is the first batch to go up. Leave that for nana and get to it."

The blonde sighed, handed the rag he'd been using to clean to the indicated employee, and took the stack.

There was a bare patch of wall near the front door, by the fireplace and armchairs, so he decided to start there. The task of driving nails into the wood and hanging the frames off them was fairly simple. He'd been at it for twenty minutes before he saw it. That red hair he knew so well. It was her…

The picture, a group of teens hardly older than himself. Three couples holding hands, a young toddler, a baby, a young child…and several pregnant women. Her hands were holding her expanded belly protectively, a smile lighting up her face…and in the arms of a brown haired man who also had his hands of her stomach.

Kushina…

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><p><strong>Please review…<strong>

**Next chappy should be out soon, I've already got it written. Just need to type it!**


	5. Chapter 5

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

"Class, we have a pair of new students today. This is Hyuuga Hizashi and Hyuuga Katsumi. They have requested me let you know that they are in fact not brother and sister, even though they look a lot alike and have the same last name. please make them feel welcome!"

The two new people, a pair of teenagers, did in fact look alike. They both had long black hair, although her's had a bluish tint to it, delicate features, and white pupil less eyes.

The redhead looked over them and smiled slightly. Katsume had a baby bump. From what she could tell, the girl was maybe four or five months along. It was another free day, so she made her way over to them.

"Hi! My name's Uzumaki Kushina, it's nice to meet you!"

"Hello…" the male said, letting his gaze drift over her. The girl stayed silent and didn't even look at her. They stood in silence as she seemed to fight with herself. Finally she spared her a glance. When she did, she gasped. "You! You're… p-pr-pre…" "Pregnant!" the redhead finished for her cheerfully, "Nearly eight months! How about you?"

The new girl's face flushed pink. "H-h-how do y-you k-know?" "It's pretty easy to tell if you know what to look for. You've got that look about you…plus a bump. So how far?"

"F-five m-m-months."

"You two look alike, but you're not siblings… you also have the same last name… are you cousins or something?"

"Yes. Katsumi-sama is also my brother's wife. The infant she carries is their first child," the boy/man Hyuuga said in a monotone voice. "Do you have a kid…um…I'm sorry, but I can't remember your name."

"Yes, I do. A one year old boy. Neji. And my name is Hizashi, Uzumaki-san." She rolled her eyes. This guy was treating her like he was a servant. She'd never liked the formalities of the master/servant relationships that her father had insisted on while she was growing up.

"Perfect!" she said cheerfully, causing the two to stare at her as if she was crazy.

"We have a club here. In all honesty, it's really more like a social get together for teen parents. We get together about three times a week so the kids and us can hang out have some quiet time. You're both welcome to come!"

Katsume looked a little scared at the idea, but intrigued. She had hopes that maybe the shy girl would come until…

"No, I am afraid that would not work out. Katsume-sama is here only to finish her education, not to make friends. My brother, her husband, would not want her mixing with the…wrong crowd. No offence Uzumaki-san, but Katsume-sama will not be mixing with those like you."

Ok…that hurt.

"Excuse me, what is 'those like you' suppose to mean, huh? You mean us who get pregnant as teens, out of wedlock…that sorta crap? I'll have you know that of the members of our group, only two others and myself aren't married and one of those is a widow! You stupid jerk, you don't know anything about me so don't pretend you do!"

With that, she picked up and stalked out of the classroom, ignoring the teacher calling her name. she'd though she was used to people talking about her. Turns out it's a completely different experience when it happens to your face.

At lunch that day, she stalked over to Tsume and Taka at their normal table.

"Hey sweaty! How's your day been?" Taka asked as she plopped down. Not noticing her murderous expression, he leaned in to kiss her, but she pushed him away.

"Leave me alone Inuzuka Taka, I'm not in the mood today!" she snapped at him. He jerked away as if scorched, then looked at her in shock. She'd never, as long as they'd know each other (three months) snapped at him. Not even when the pregnancy hormones took over.

"Something bothering you Red?" Tsume asked curiously.

"Stupid new students," the hormonal pregnant girl hissed. "I simply invited them to check out the FTC, and the guy basically called me a whore! He doesn't know me, and he has so right!" Tsume gasped. Something like that had happen to her to…just not from a new student. She was about to venture forth a comment, when they heard:

"Um…Uzu-Uzumaki-san? I'd l-like to apologize f-for Hi-Hizashi-kun. He's n-not usu-usually so rude. Can-can-can you forgive h-him please? H-he's very p-protective of m-me…" the quiet voice of Hyuuga Katsumi stuttered out. The three turned to see the pale girl standing behind them, her bright red face looking toward the floor and her fingers pushed up against each other.

"Red, this one of the rude ones?" Tsume asked threateningly, a warning in her voice.

"No Tsume-chan. It was the other one. She actually seemed interested. Besides which, you can't bear her up anyway. I'd like to direct your attention to her growing womb."

The siblings looked toward the indicated spot, causing the shy girl to grow an even brighter shade of red. "Since you seemed interested earlier, I'll tell you this. We meet at 4:30 at **Akane's Coffeehouse** on 1st St. Our next meeting is tomorrow. Maybe we'll see you there."

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><p><strong>Next Day<strong>

**Akane's**

"Well Red, looks like Blue ain't coming. Sorry"

"…Shut up Tsume." sounds of laughter.

"So Shina, how was your appointment yesterday? Everything ok with Naru-chan?"

"Yeah, he's fine. The were a little worried about his weight, but it's fine. I just have to eat more between now and my do-date. Dad's taken that to heart. Last night, he literally tried to cram third helpings down my throat at supper. It was horrible…"

In the laughter that followed, no one noticed the figures that were watching them from different directions. The blonde hovering behind the counter who had his hat pulled down low to try and hide his features. The pale faced blue black haired girl sitting with the toddler, throwing glances over at their table as she tried to work up the courage to walk over and maybe make some friends with people deemed unsatisfactory by her husband's family. But the redhead was so nice…and the two little girls looked like they'd be nice playmates for her nephew…

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><p>Since the moment he first realized he'd fallen in love with Uzumaki Kushina, he'd wondered what the future would hold for them. Was this it? Watching from afar as she had a baby and went on living her life, while he was left behind asking himself what if?<p>

This wasn't the first time he'd watched her and her group of friends since he'd found that picture. Maybe the fifteenth… From the moment she'd walked in, she'd been on his mind more than ever. Actually, she had been ever since he'd seen the picture. It really was sheer dumb luck that he hadn't seen her before… after all, he'd been working here since before the start of the summer.

Now he just wanted to go talk to her. To find out why she left in the first place. Why she hadn't told him. Who the father of her baby was. Was it Taka's? That guy who always seemed to be with her…who treated her almost like a possession… If so, how long had the two been in a relationship? He didn't remember the brunette from around home. It was so confusing…

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><p>"Hi!" the loud voice of the toddler gurgled.. She gasped at the little one's sudden appearance. "I Tenten," the little girl declared. "Who you?" she asked, pointing to the little boy beside her.<p>

"Um…" came the uneasy response. The small boy wasn't used to people his own age addressing him so meaninglessly. The woman smiled.

"Go on Neji-kun, introduce yourself to her!" she whispered to her nephew, not stuttering once. She could control the stuttering…if she was comfortable around the person she was talking to. There were very few people like that. Just her mom, her sister, Neji-kun, and Hizashi-kun.

"I…um, I Neji!" came the answer.

"You wanta go play?" "Um…" after a glance at his aunt's face, he turned back and smiled excitedly. "Ok!" They then ran away smiling, hand in hand. The small brunette led him toward the Family Ties table. She watched them get intercepted by a woman who had the same eye and hair color as Tenten. Her mother perhaps? She watched as others looked up from their conversations to watch them, including Uzumaki-san.

The small girl pointed to her then, causing everyone to look her way. She felt a small blush cross her cheeks. When the redhead saw her, a smile flashed across the more advanced woman's face. Her blush deepened. She knew this was a bad idea…

"Katsumi-chan, you came!"

To late to escape…

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

"Kyuubi" normal

"_Kyuubi"_ dream

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><p>"How is Ume-chan doing?" Yoshino asked worriedly. It was September 23. The day before, Nara Yoshino had given birth to a healthy baby boy. While looking at him and his fuzz of spiky brown hair like his father's, Yamanaka Ume's water had broken. Thirteen hours later, she was still in the pains of labor.<p>

"She's good. She's only tried to kill Inoichi once, and I think only threatened to castrate him twice so…defiantly taking it better than you!" This squeezed a laugh out of the sleep deprived woman. Not so from her unconscious husband.

"So, how is the little guy? Have you decided on a name yet?"

"Yeah, we have. Shikamaru. He's only about seventeen hours old, but he's already just like his father. He's only woken up twice, and that was just for food!" More laughter.

The room fell silent when the flustered and excited form of Inoichi burst into the room. "Ume just had the baby! It's a girl! We called her Ino!"

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><p>The redhead looked through the nursery window, smiling at the Nara and Yamanaka newborns, who lay side by side. She was glad for her friends…and a little jealous of them as well. She was ready for her little boy to get here already…Even if she only had about twenty days left of her own pregnancy.<p>

Both of the new children were fast asleep, both replicas of their respective fathers. Except Ino… she had her mother's bright sea-green eye color, and the lighter shade of blonde hair.

"They're so cute!" she squealed quietly to Tsume, who stood next to her. "If you say so… all babies look the same to me," the brunette responded.

"Yeah right Dog-chan. I seem to remember a certain someone who couldn't get enough of their newborn just two months ago. Still can't in fact." This brought forth laughter from both of them.

When they fell silent, the expecting redhead asked silently, "What's it like? Raising them?"

"Wonderful…" was the brunette's immediate answer, not taking her eyes off their friends' children. "When Hana was put in my arms for the first time… I was so crazy about her. This love just overtakes. Suddenly your whole life is dominated by this one thing. This thing that needs to eat every few hours, cries, spits up, and then needs to eat again. You've got to handle any need of it's right then, not when you feel like it. There's this little human and it's yours every day, every minute, and sometimes I didn't think I could do it. I didn't want to do it…but…I went to school, and I missed her. I went out without her and I felt like I'd forgot something important. It's the same with Kiba! They're the most important thing in my life…I couldn't live without them Red… I'd die if they were taken from me…" the woman was rambling and she didn't care. She just needed to convey to her friends the feelings a mother feels for her child, but she just couldn't find the word.

The redhead smiled at her friend, somehow understanding what the woman was trying to say.

"You know...I'm only seventeen. I'm still a kid myself, so how an I supposed to raise one? My mother died when I was really young and my father never wanted me...so I didn't really have any examples growing up. I thought for awhile that I best bet would be to put him up for adoption or get an abortion. I nearly did to. But the first time I saw his picture on the sonogram…I knew I couldn't give him up. I've felt him move, and I've talked to him. He's not even born yet, and I already can't get enough of him. Heck, I've even wondered what 'Nato would have thought of being a father… of having a child, but…"

"Um…Shina? Who exactly is 'Nato?"

That's when she froze. She'd just done something she'd avoided doing since she was thrown out. Telling someone the father's name. Not even Jiraiya knew. It was one of her most closely guarded secrets and she'd just told without thinking…

"Kushina?"

She looked away and sighed. No use going back now…besides, it was time someone knew.

"Nobuhiho Minato. He's the father of my son and was my best friend growing up. He lived next door to me in Tokyo and is in an arranged engagement to my cousin Wakamura Maruko. The night of their engagement party, we got drunk and ended up sleeping together…"

Slowly the whole story came out in the quiet hospital hallway. How she found out she was expecting. How she had fought with her father and he'd banished her from the house. How she lived on the streets and how she'd been found. How she'd come to live with Jiraiya and call him father. How even though she hadn't seen him in months and she was dating again…she was still in love with the blonde haired man.

Everything…

Afterward, the woman just stared at her. The redhead waited for a reaction. Finally…

"Wow Red…I had no idea…I don't know why you told me, but thanks…I guess. I'm guessing you aren't wanting my big brother to know any of this?"

She smiled. "That would be preferred."

Little did they know, someone was listening in...

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><p>"<em>Minato…" she whispered, reaching out toward the blonde. "Minato, please!" he smiled and took her offered hand, using it to pull her to his <em>chest _which was packed with firm, hard muscle that rippled under his tanned skin with each movement. His lips dipped down, angling toward her. She closed her eyes and offered her mouth, waiting for the craved kiss. But it never came. She could feel that she was in someone's arms, but it didn't feel like Minato's._

_Slowly she opened her eyes to see Minato several feet away, just watching her and no longer smiling. Light reflected off the tiny drops of water that were in the corners of his eyes, making them look like diamonds. She tried to run toward him, but felt herself being restrained. She looked over her shoulder into the gleaming gray-blue eyes of her boyfriend. The man pulled her harder against him, and grinned over to the blonde._

"_Taka, let me go!" she tried to cry out, but no sound came forth._

_The Inuzuka's grin turned into a smirk. His head dipped down, covering her mouth with his. His tongue slipped in through her still open lips and he began to ravage her mouth. She tried to scream, to push him away…but it was no use. She was trapped. But she didn't want this, not him! She wanted Minato! _

_Finally, he stopped forcing his kiss on her and smirked in Minato's direction again. She desperately turned in the blonde's direction, but…he was gone. The only trace left of him was the falling tear, a drop of reflected light…_

In her sleep, the dream ended… and though she didn't wake, a tear slid down the redhead's cheek. When she woke up the next morning she couldn't remember what she'd dreamed, only that it was sad.

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><p>As the group sat around their normal group of tables in the crowded coffee shop, one member wasn't paying attention to the conversation. He was thinking of what he'd overheard in the hospital between his girlfriend and sister. The truth of Kushina's past and the father of her brat.<p>

Some guy named Nobuhiho Minato… which honestly sounded familiar. A new guy on a local high school's track team. The kid in question, Namikaze Minato, sounded almost exactly like the father. He was from Tokyo, he had spiky blonde hair, blue eyes, and his first name_** was **_Minato… was it possible?

He was sure it was him, because at that moment he noticed him. The kid worked at Akane's…and he was currently staring at his Kushi-chan… and his expression was full of love… to many things fit for it to be coincidence. As he thought about it, more things fell into place.

This wasn't the first time he'd noticed the boy watching her. He'd also seen him follow her home… this wasn't good. He'd waited to long for a girl like Kushina. Someone he could spend his life with. He was already it love with her, and he wasn't going to give her up. This called for something drastic.

Something like…a proposal.

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

Normal story

_Dream story_

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><p><strong>October 9: 4:30 am<strong>

_The feeling of his strong, deliciously sensual hands on her skin was unbelievable. His soft, caressing fingers were everywhere in the darkness, brushing the curve of her waist, cupping her firm breast and tantalizing the erect nipple, rubbing small circles on her lower back before stroking her cheekbone so incredibly gently. Nothing had ever felt so blissful to her._

_The need for him was mind-blowing, she'd never wanted something, someone so badly. Her senses were in overload and she bit her lip at the physical ache somewhere between her legs that, coincidently, was the place his fingertips were creeping towards with agonizing slowness. His lips roamed her entire body, placing painfully light kisses down her neck to the base of her spine. At the same time, his fingers caressed and aroused every centimeter of skin with his gentle fingers. The anticipation alone was more than she could stand, but he seemed to be unaware of that… _

Right before he finally slipped in and began satisfy her after his wonderful torture, her unborn child decided it had had enough motionlessness and kicked her, and thus pulling her from blessed unconsciousness. She awoke to an ache between her legs and a bruised kidney. She sighed at both… ever since her due date began getting nearer, the kid had been restless. He always felt the need to alert her of his presence, as if she didn't already know he was there. Throbbing nipples filled with milk and hormone induced dreams of the blonde father of her son did not help. She honestly couldn't wait for the dang brat to hurry up and get here. Seriously. This was ridiculous!

Rubbing her stomach to try and get the little fishcake to be still, she sighed. There was no way she was going to get back to sleep tonight. The minute she finally found nothingness, the little fiend would start squirming again and wake her up again. She knew. This wasn't the first time this had happened.

With another sigh, she flipped open her bedside lamp and reached for the textbook she'd been reading before she'd conked out the first time. Her theory was that if she couldn't go to school, she might as well get ahead of the class. And she literally couldn't go to school. The one time she'd tried, they'd sent her home. According to the school headmaster, Sarutobi Hirazen, it was to near her due-date plus her baby had already dropped. But that didn't mean anything! She still had about a week until she was due, and the baby dropping didn't mean anything! That could occur a few weeks or a few hours before labor! Stupid old man…

After sighing a third time, she settled back to read about the French Revolution. She had to move several times though because of a pain in her lower back. After about a minute and a half, she found a position that seemed to made it go away. Or so she thought. Settling back once again to read, she didn't notice anything for another hour. Then the pain was back. She started shifting her position to try and get it to go away. Again, it stopped after a minute had passed.

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><p>He smiled at the small velvet box he held clasped in his hand. There was no way she could say no. Not to this jewel at least. He'd spent most of his last paycheck on it, making sure it was something she couldn't turn down. She wouldn't turn down. She didn't know that Namikaze brat was even there. She was somewhat in love with him. So why should she say no? Why shouldn't she say yes?<p>

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><p><strong>October 9: 5:23 pm<strong>

**Akane's Coffeehouse**

She rubbed her stomach with a sigh. These pains refused to go away. What had started out as short, infrequent dull aches in her lower back had began to get worse. They had also started off as far apart but had started to come at a more regular pace. The brief moments of pain were beginning to intensifies. The sensation was like a belt tightening around her back which was spreading toward her abdomen.

She didn't know what the pains were, but she was starting to think she'd eaten something bad…maybe to much ramen? She was also kinda worried. Maybe she was experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions. Her doctor, Tsume, and all the books she'd read told her that it was natural to experience them. But then again…she'd had those before. And this felt nothing like them…

"Red, you ok?"

Tsume had sat down beside her, juggling two muffins, a cup of coffee, and a sleeping Kiba in her arms. They were at their second meeting of the week for the FTC…and it was a god sent, minus the bizarre pains. She'd been so bored lately and missed her friends.

"Fine Dog-chan! Little monster's just being weird. I'm telling you, I am so ready for the little jerk to hurry up and get here! The hormones are driving me crazy, and he won't let me get any sleep! Everytime I do, he feels the need to remind me of his presents! Are they always this annoying toward the end?"

"Yep."

"Man! I don't think I can take another week of this!"

Another pain…didn't she just have one of those? Seriously, these things were getting to close together for comfort…and they were starting to gain strength! What the heck man?

"Hey, you don't have to tell me that! I've had to go through this twice, remember! Just be glad you haven't started lusting after random guys! When I was carrying Hana, I was so hormonal I stole a life-size cutout of an American Basketball player from a shoe-store. Still have it to!" **(A/N: If this part sounds familiar, I did steal it from the TV show ****Friends****… I just thought it was funny! Anyone know what the pains are yet?)**

"Um…passing over your thievery of a cardboard guy…have you seen Taka today? He was suppose to meet me here…"

"Yeah, now that you mention it. He asked me to tell you that he's gonna be a little late, he' sorry, he had something really important to do."

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><p>She was so beautiful… but, why couldn't he talk to her? It wasn't like he hadn't talk to each other before, they used to be best friends for Christ sake! So why couldn't he go up and say hi now? Was it because she had a boyfriend? She was pregnant? He didn't know… only that he really wanted to talk to her…<p>

"Dude, if you like her that much just go say hi! I'm tired off having to watch you fawn over her everytime they come in!" the sharp voice of his colleague Nana snapped. His head jerked up, and he gaped at her.

"W-whatever do you mean Nana-chan? I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Namikaze, cut the crap. I may not know you that well, but I can tell when someone is in love. Now get your lazy ass up, go say hi, and quit avoiding her. It's sickening to watch. Besides, if you do then I get five bucks."

"Ok… wait, what?"

"We have bets going on to see how long it takes you to ask her out. If you do it in October, I win. Now get your butt out there!"

"OK one, I **do** know that I already know her. And two, she has a boyfriend…not to mention she's pregnant if you haven't noticed…"

"So? Just go!"

"You really want that five bucks don't you?"

"Yep!"

"Thought so…"

The blonde sighed and the black haired girl looked at him expectantly. "Fine…I'll go. But you owe me a muffin."

"Done!"

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><p><strong>March 9: 5:37 pm<strong>

"Shina-chan!" she heard, turning to see the smiling eyes of her Inuzuka boyfriend. "Hey Taka! Great timing! Tsume was about to tell me some embarrassing baby stories!"

He smile.

"Hon, can I talk to you for a second in private? It's important."

"Sure, what's up?"

He took her hand and led her to a private corner a little ways away from the group.

"Kushina, we've been dating since July, and these last three months have honestly been the best time of my life. I… I don't want it to end anytime soon. I know you're pregnant right now with someone else's kid. Someone who obviously didn't want the kid or know how amazing you are."

He paused a moment and smiled at her. She smiled back uneasily. They starred at each other for a few minutes, and he started talking again. She wasn't listening this time though, although she did nod occasionally. Instead she was focused on the weird pain again. It had come over her again, and this time in was like a wave of pain had descended over her. She tried hard not to let it show on her face. Something was wrong… and then she felt it.

At this moment, three things happened simultaneously.

For one, Taka dropped on one knee and pulled out a small black box. Flipping it open, he asked, "Uzumaki Kushina, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

The second was that she noticed the man for the first time… the man she'd dreamed of for so long…with his spiky blond hair and jaw-length bangs framing either side of his face, his sky blue-eyes fixed on her… He stood on the other side of Taka's kneeling form, his expression never moving from her face. It was an expression of longing…of love.

And the third…the third was by far the biggest. The sudden wetness between her legs, like a sudden gush of fluid. At least that explained the weird pains… Who knew today was going to be so full of surprises?

"Minato…"

Everyone was looking at her…

"Um, can someone call my dad…I think my water just broke…"

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><p><strong>Hey! Sorry for cliffhanger, but please review! The story is almost done! I've just got to write one or more chapters, and then an epilogue! I'm also thinking of writing a sequel…Yes? No? As I said, review please! <strong>


	8. Chapter 8

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

"Um, can someone call my dad? I think my water just broke…"she asked quietly, looking down at the clear odorless liquid that was forming in a puddle between her legs.

Silence…complete silence. Everyone looked at her in shock. When they'd come out today, this is the least they'd expected. That a redheaded teenager would get proposed to and then have her water break in the middle of their coffee.

After a moment's more starring at her, the crowded shop burst into noise. She was ambushed with congratulations and her fellow FTC women. Over all the new noise, she heard a hurried phone-call.

"Red, are you sure?"

"Have your contractions started yet?"

"Shina, are you sure it's not just Braxton Hicks?"

She answered none of this, just looked for him. The blonde seemed to have disappeared in the charge of females. She allowed herself to be dragged to a chair and forced to sit down, not paying attention to what was happening to her. She just had to find him…if he was really there. It could just be her hormonal mind playing tricks on her. She wouldn't put it passed it…

"Ok Red, let's go! Jiraiya said to go on to the hospital and he'll meet us there with your bag. Come on, Hizashi-kun said we could use his car!"

Now she was being dragged out of the chair and toward the door. She still couldn't see his distinctive mop of blonde hair anywhere…there!

Just before they had her through the front door, she spotted him. He was taking a mop from the hands of the bald manager, who was pointing to her puddle of amniotic fluid.

He was here… really here!

She tried to call out to him and tell him her child was his, but when she opened her mouth Taka appeared.

"Shina-chan, you never answered me! I love you, so will you marry me?"

He turned toward then when he heard her name, temporarily forgetting his task. As if sensing they had an audience, the gray eyed man jerked her lips to his. He kissed her in such a way that it was impossible to refuse, no matter how much she didn't want it. Thankfully, the forced contact ended quickly as another of the weird pains, now identified as contractions, broke over her body.

She tore herself away from him and doubled over in agony. They were getting nearer together…

"Well?" he still wouldn't let her go.

"Taka, you idiot! This is no time for that! She's about to have a friggen baby! We need to get her to a hospital NOW!" Tsume's voice rang out.

And so away she was spirited into the back of the Hyuuga's car. Along for the ride was Tsume, who sat in the back with her as moral support, Hizashi, who was driving, and Katsumi, who was watching her in scared fascination. She was going to have to go through this in two months after all.

"You ok Red? Are the contractions coming any closer together?"

"No Tsume-chan…still about fifteen minutes apar- Ohh!" Another contraction.

"It's ok, we're here! I'll be with you through this whole thing!"

"Thanks Dog-chan…I appreciate it!"

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><p><strong>6:22 pm<strong>

When they finally arrived at the hospital's maternity ward, they were instantly met with a worried/excited Jiraiya in over protective father mode. Never a good combination!

"Kushina! Are you alright! How far apart are the contractions? Do you need anything? Talk to be baby!"

"Um…Uzumaki-san? Can you please quiet down so I can ask the patient some questions? Thank you," a nearby nurse said politely. She'd been trying for several minutes to get the girl settled in.

"Now, I'm sure you're tired of hearing this but I have to ask it. How far apart are the contractions?"

"At about what time did your water break?"

"How long have you been having contractions?"

She answered everything, including yes to an epidural. According to Tsume, she was gonna want one later.

Soon she found herself in a Semi-Private hospital room, which was already occupied by a woman with bubble gum pink hair who was holding a baby and a woman with reddish pink hair laying in the second bed.

"Hi there! I'm Haruno Chiyo, this adorable little girl is my daughter Sakura, that's my sister Sauchi, and the bump is her son Takeshi. Nice to meet you" the woman with bright pink hair said, indicating herself, the baby, the woman in the bed, and the woman's swollen womb. "May I ask your names?"

"Sure…this is my dad Jiraiya, my soul sister Tsume, her son Kiba, then I'm Kushina, and the bump is a little cretin," the redhead answered, indicating each person.

"Oh…well."

"Ignore her. She's feeling a mix of mortification and hormones. My brother just proposed to her in the middle of a crowded coffee shop the same minute her water broke. You can see why that would make her a little edgy…" Tsume said quickly in way of explanation.

"Oh…sorry!" Chiyo said, smiling again. "So, is your brother on his way here? I'm sure he wouldn't want to miss the birth of his child!"

"He's not the father!" Kushina burst out angrily.

"Oh…well."

Yeah…this was getting them somewhere.

* * *

><p><strong>10:47 pm<strong>

"Well Uzumaki-san, looks like you're only dilated about six centimeters. That's pretty quick for a first time mother! Now, do you need anything? How are the contractions?" the doctor asked affectionately. She had a bit of a soft spot for the girl.

"Good…can't feel them anymore!" She'd already had the epidural.

"Well…have someone page me if you need anything ok?"

"'Kay!"

"I'll see you later then. Bye now!"

She walked out the door then, passing the now empty bed previously occupied by the pinkette sisters. The woman had bee wheeled out two hours before her son's head already crowning. She wondered how the were…

Tsume and Jiraiya were also gone. Tsume to check on her son and update their friends in the waiting room, Jiraiya to get her more ice chips. Thinking on it…she realized something. She had waited on them as they'd given birth. To little Kiba, to lazy Shikamaru, to pretty little Ino-chan with her sea-green eyes… now it was her turn. Their turn to wait on her child…look at him through a nursery window. Just like she'd done.

After nine long months… she was about to give birth. She was going to be a mom. To have a son who would depend on her for most of his life…A thought that made a smile spread across her face.

* * *

><p><span>2:27 am<span>

"Nine centimeters! Kushi, it isn't going to be long now!"

"Yeah…"

Man he was excited…and he wasn't even the one going through this!

"Jiraiya, do you think you could get me some more ice chips please?" "Sure sweetie!" He so aimed to please…He left hurriedly, leaving her alone.

She sighed into the empty room, silent except for the beeping of the machines. In the quiet aloneness, she finally had time to think. Find the answers to the questions that had been plaguing her for several answers.

How did she answer Taka's marriage proposal?

Did Minato know she carried there child?

Did he even care? Why was he here anyway?

So many questions she didn't know the answers to. Answers she could only guess at…

* * *

><p>He walked into the maternity waiting room as if he owned the place. She hadn't answered him earlier, but she was this time. No matter what, he wasn't leaving without her yes!<p>

This brat of hers was going to be his. That's just the way things were going to be.

"Excuse me miss, can you get me a room number? For one Uzumaki Kushina? And hurry up about it please!"

The nurse just looked at him. "Sir? It's almost three in the morning. Visiting hours are already over. You'll have to come back at eight AM, when they start.

"What?"

"I said-" "No! I heard what you said, and I want to know why! Look you fat old crone! I don't care what your rules are! Just tell me the room so I can go get a fucken answer from her! I asked her to marry me ten hours ago and she still hasn't told me yes or no!"

But the nurse wasn't having it. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. And if you don't, I'll be perfectly happy to have some orderlies remove you from the premises. As I said, visiting hours start at eight."

He scowled at her, but walked out. Stupid evil nurses…

* * *

><p><strong>2:51 am<strong>

"Well, you're dilated 10 centimeters, but we have a bit of a problem. Dr. Yurametsu is busy with an emergency C-section. Are you OK with Dr. Senju doing the delivery? She's the only other person qualified to do it that's on duty at the moment," the intern said nervously. He obviously hadn't been here long.

The screaming redhead didn't answer. "Does it really matter you idiot? Just page a friggen doctor to take care of her and hurry up about it! This baby is ready to come!" Tsume yelled. Her voice was a mixture of anger and pain. Kushina was currently crushing her hand.

"It's ok hon, you're alright! It'll all we over soon!" Jiraiya tried to say soothingly to her. It didn't work that well because his voice was also filled with pain. He was getting a crushed hand to. Actually, he might have been trying to assure himself…

"Alright…I'll just go get her… the nurses will just take you to the delivery room…"

* * *

><p>"Minato, I don't know what room she's in! I couldn't tell you even if I did! Sorry sweetheart…"<p>

He sighed. After Kushina's water broke at work, he'd wanted to come straight here. But his boss. The man had made his finish his shift…then he'd fell asleep. When he woke up, it was already 2 am and his mom wasn't home. She'd left a note explaining that there had been an accident. Something about gang wars… So, to the hospital he headed.

"Dr. Senju, please report to delivery room 3. Dr. Senju to delivery room 3 please." came a voice spoken over the loudspeakers.

The blonde woman sighed. "I'm sorry Minato-kun, I have to go. The idiots probably took her down there before they thought to call me. Look…just go to the cafeteria and have some coffee. Wait until eight tomorrow and ask the nurses her room number. That's all I can tell you."

"Alright ma…"

* * *

><p><strong>3:02 am<strong>

"Where is this doctor you sent for? I would've though she'd be here by now!"

"We had some trauma cases come in earlier. She's probably dealing with that and it's on the other side of the hospital!"

Interlude of silence and screaming.

"Come on Shina, you're ok!"

"There are entirely to many people in this room! If you don't have a part in this delivery, get the hell out now!" a new voice yelled out. Everyone looked toward the somewhat short blonde woman in blue scrubs. Everyone but the tall white haired man. On hearing her voice, he froze.

"I'm Dr. Senju miss Uzumaki. In a couple of minutes, I'm going to ask you to push understand? We're probably going to have to do it several times cause it's going to take many attempts so-"

"No!" came an almost yelled reply. They turned to look at the grandfather to be. "I want someone else to deliver this kid! I don't care who, just anyone but her!" he said, pointing to Tsunade.

"There is no one else you fool! If you wait to long, the child could die! Don't let an old grudge get in the way right now you old perverted idiot!"

No one dared to say anything as the two glared at each other. It was only broken when the redheaded teen screamed again as another contraction went through her body and with it the urge to push.

"Fine, hurry up and deliver the little devil!"

* * *

><p>Twenty-seven minutes later, the cry of a newborn filled the room.<p>

"Look Red! Your son's here!" Tsume said cheerfully, rubbing the hand she was pretty sure the redhead had broken and mentally tallying up the death threats.

"Miss Uzumaki, would you like to hold your son?" the smiling woman asked, holding out the crying and slightly bloody blanket wrapped infant.

She smiled toward it and helt out her arms. The bundle was placed in her arms and she looked down into the face so like his father…

"Naruto-kun…"

* * *

><p><strong>Naru-chan is here! Please Review!<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

Tear-filled eyes looked down at the small blonde bundle she held in her arms. Her red rimmed purple orbs met the oddly alert deep blue eyes of her newly born son. A thin covering of slightly damp blonde fuss capped his small head. Slanted line like birthmarks marking both of his cheeks, giving him the appearance of having whiskers.

The seemingly happiest moment of her life was stained by sorrow. She truly did love the small newborn bundle of joy she helt, and she'd only knew the little one for about an hour… But he looked to much like _him._ She knew he would always be a reminder of times gone by, forever out of reach. But at least she had him… Her mistake had given her that at least… and her father…

"So do I get to see him?" a familiar voice asked from the doorway sometime after she'd been brought to a private room. She looked up to see her boyfriend's smiling face leaning into her room. "Taka…"

"I'm sorry for not coming earlier. The nurse wouldn't tell me your room number last night. Something about visiting hours being over…The others were here and they told, but again with the visiting hours." He walked over and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for you Shina-chan."

"It's fine Taka. I had dad and Tsume…and Dr. Senju."

"Speaking of which, where is my little sis, Naruto, and Jiraiya? I would have expected them to be here. And I thought your doctor was named Yurametsu?"

"Tsume had to go pick up Hana-chan from daycare, they took Naruto to the nursery, and dad is talking to Dr. Senju. Apparently they used to know each other."

"So they should be awhile?"

"Yeah, why?"

A smile spread across his face. "Excellent! So there's no more distractions for you to avoid my question from yesterday! A little reminder my Shina-chan. I love you, so will you marry me?

* * *

><p>"What is your problem Namikaze? Were you trying to endanger that girl's life?"<p>

"No! I love her to much for that Senju! I just didn't want you delivering my grandchild. Besides which, my name is Uzumaki now. I left behind Namikaze along time ago. That name has to many memories."

"…Grandchild? You got married?"

"No, I didn't. she was found on the streets six months ago. I took her in and became her legal guardian. She'd my daughter became I consider her that."

"Oh…well."

"Anyway, I don't see why you even care! You never loved me anyway, so what is it to you if I have a kid?"

She sighed. Seventeen years later was never to late to tell him. "Because Jiraiya. I care because we have a chi-"

"Hey ma!" Minato yelled, jogging toward them. He held out a styrofoam cup. "Brought you some coffer. Figured you could use it after the long night!"

"Oh, thanks Nato-kun. I appreciate it honey. Did you ask Keiko-chan for her room yet?"

"No…oh! Sorry!" He'd noticed her companion. "I didn't realize you had company. Didn't mean to interrupt you!"

"It's ok Minato-kun, this concerns you to. Minato, meet Jiraiya. Jiraiya? Meet your son!"

Silence.

"Excuse me, I think I heard you wrong. My what?" "Son! Or to be more accurate, our son. This is Minato. He's going to be eighteen in three months and I can have a blood test done if you don't believe me."

"WHAT!" they yelled at the same time, the same expression marking their faces. "Ma, are you sure about this?"

She smiled. "Yes Nato, seeing as he's the only man I've ever slept with. You get your eyes from him. His mother's were the same color blue. Now go check on Miss Uzumaki. She's in room 437."

The teen gave the taller man a wary/disbelieving look before going to do his mother's bidding.

"He's my son?" Jiraiya asked quietly, watching him walk down the hall. He was in shock from finding out that particular piece of news. Or it could have been the sex comment. Who knows? "But…why didn't you ever tell me you were pregnant?"

"Jiraiya, it's kind of hard to tell someone something, like the fact that you've conceived a baby together, when they're moved away, changed their name, and basically told you they never want to see/hear from you again. Wouldn't you agree?"

He stared at her for a few moments before he sighed. "I was nineteen Tsunade. I was hurt. You try going through finding out the woman you love is just using you to escape marriage to your teammate at that age. I'm sorry, but…it was just to much."

"Try going through being pregnant and alone at seventeen with your parents planning to get rid of your child as soon as he's born," she countered.

He gasped.

"Those two…but he's here! They didn't succeed?"

"No, they did. He grew up thinking my sister and her husband was his parents. He didn't know he was our son until a couple of months ago. He found his real birth certificate."

Slowly, she explained the whole story to him. How their son was taken from her. How she visited him every year. How his "parents" were trying to force him into an arranged marriage. How he'd come to her, and how he'd found the truth.

"Wow…that's…I'm sorry."

"Huh? But Jiraiya, for what?"

"That you had to go through that alone."

"It's alright Jiraiya. I made my peace with it a long time ago. I'm just glad I got him back!"

He smiled down a her. It wasn't the smile she remembered, but it was a start. Slowly, she went to kiss him on the cheek…but he moved and she hit his lips….They stared at each other awkwardly, but still their lips did not part. He put his hand around her waist gently to see how she'd react. When nothing happen, he smiled and pulled her closer to him. She smiled as well. He didn't seem to have changed from that fool of a romantic teenager!

She let her hand tangle in the thick white hair of the back of his head, and then closed her eyes. For the first time in many years, she felt her broken heart at peace.

* * *

><p>"Taka, what are you talking about?"<p>

"Exactly what I' talking about. I've asked you twice already Kushina and both times you're avoided answering me!"

She gaped at him. "I was going into labor!"

"You could've said 'yes' the first time! But did you? No! you said 'Minato…' Why?"

"Because…it doesn't matter why Taka! And who says I was going to say yes?"

"I do my pretty little Shina. If a person offers you marriage, the least you can do is accept!"

"Taka, you're hurting me!" He was gripping her hands hard, prohibiting her from pushing him away.

"No! Taka, I wanna break up!"

That stopped him. "Excuse me, but did I hear you correctly my sweet? Did you just say you want to break up with me? When I am kind enough to offer you a safe life with a loving husband and father to your bastard child! YOU WANT TO BREAK UP! THE LEAST YOU COULD DO IS ACCEPT YOU WORTHLESS WHORE!"

The next thing they knew, a fist collided with Taka's jaw thus slamming his into the nearby wall. The place he'd been previously standing was now occupied with none other than a very familiar blonde teen.

"Minato?" she asked softly, unsure if it was really him. It looked like him, but… she didn't really trust herself right now. After all, she'd been convinced that Taka was a nice guy. Turned out he was delusional jerk.

"Don't you ever talk to her like that again you rat faced bastard!" he yelled at the brown haired man, formerly known as her boyfriend. "EVER!" The two men stared at each other for a few minutes before the one on the floor was up and lunging at his legs.

The two began rolling around on the floor grappling. Neither seemed to be making much ground, neither getting the upper hand…until the Inuzuka came out on top. For a moment anyway. He drew his fist back to slam into the other man's face, but the younger man evaded and managed to knee him in the stomach.

The redhead could only watch. They seemed to be making more noise than she thought, because soon the door was slid open by one of the nurses that had been at the front desk when she'd first arrived.

"What in the world is going on in here?" she demanded. Seeing Taka sitting on the blonde with his fist reared back, her expression cleared. "Oh…you again. I should have known it would be something to do with you if it was this room."

She snapped her fingers then, and the door slid open to reveal the forms of two hulking orderlies dressed in dark green scrubs. "Guys, this is that rude boy I was telling you about. Would you be so kind as to escort him out and leave these nice people to their day please?" And making good on her earlier threat to him, the two did just that. They each took one of his arms and "escorted" him out of the hospital. **(A/N: Read this last line as "Throwing him out the front door onto his face." Sorry for that, I don't know how else to get rid of him ^-^)**

"You ok hun? Quite frankly, you look horrible," she said, addressing the blonde. He had a black eye and blood was falling slightly from his nose.

"No, I'm fine. I think. Nothing's broken at least…"

"Kay! Let me know if you need anything!" With this, she turned and left.

The redhead turned to the blonde she'd loved for so long. This was the first time the two had been alone together since the night their son was conceived.

"So…are you sure you're alright Nato?" she asked shyly. He opened his mouth to answer, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

Receiving permission, the new arrival did just that. The door slid open for a forth time to reveal one of the plump nurses that had been present at the delivery. In her arms, she carried a crying bundle wrapped in blue socks, a blue knitted hat, and a white blanket patterned with ducks. Her son…

"You feel like feeding him?" the slightly graying woman asked cheerfully over his screaming. "He just woke up and he's hungry!"

The two teens looked at the child she offered, and the blonde gasped in shock. Things seemed to click in his eyes. The offered child looked almost exactly like him.

* * *

><p><strong>Review Please! And again, on the Taka thing. I wasn't exactly sure how to get rid of him, so I decided to use humor. Sorry if you don't like it, but please don't expect to see him again in the fic. There is going to be one more chapter and an epilogue, then this story is finished. They should be up in the next few days. <strong>

**Also, I'd still trying to decide if I want to do a sequel. I'm going to set up a poll on my account. Please vote if you want one or not. Other than that, as I've already said Please Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

"You feel like feeding him?" the slightly graying woman asked cheerfully over his screaming, cradling his head. "He just woke up and he's hungry!"

"Oh yeah, um…sure, I guess. I'm afraid you're going to have to explain what to do…"

"That's alright sweet pea, you're not the first new mommy that's needed a little help. It's really easy," she said, handing the first timer the child, "all you have to do is let him latch onto your-"

"Um, I do believe I'll be going now! Kushina, I'll come back later so we can talk!" the blonde said hurriedly, breaking into the plump woman's explanation. He was still a little in shock from his earlier realization that still had been neither confirmed or denied. So why shouldn't he be a little scared? Here he was in a hospital room with his childhood best friend/love of his life and her child, who happen to look just like him, and she was being talked through how to breast feed! Definitely not what he'd expected when he'd shown up here at 3:30 in the morning!

"It's alright for you to be here son! You should watch anyway, after all it's just your little boy getting breakfast!"

"Excuse me, what?"

"All breast feeding is-"

"NO! I got that part, thanks! It's the little boy comment I'm asking about!"

"Oh, is he not…? I could've swore… I'm sorry, but you to just look so alike! Are you his uncle?"

"No…"

"Actually…" the voice of the redhead came softly. They looked over at her. The woman was grimacing slightly. The blonde head of Naruto had just found her nipple and was sucking away happily. "Minato…You are the father."

Confirmation! Finally… wait, what!

"Huh?" the blonde whispered, starring at her. The room fell silent. In the blonde's eyes, the room began to spin before he keeled over in a dead faint.

* * *

><p>"Hey Red, guess…what…what's going on here?" Tsume said in confusion.<p>

She, Ume, Yoshino, Yumi, Katsumi, Matsuri, and Sayama had just walked into the room to find the new mother sitting up talking with a nurse, who was busy trying to manhandle an unconscious blonde man into the second vacant bed of the room. She was also stroking a pile of blankets next to her.

"Oh…hi guy! This is Keiko from the nursery! And the guy who is currently dead to the world is Nato-kun, AKA, Naru-chan's father! Which reminds me…" she said, holding up the small pile of blankets next to her for them to see. "Say hi to Fishcake!" The blankets fell away to reveal the peacefully sleeping face of her baby.

"Hey! He looks just like him!" Tsume said cheerfully from above the older blonde's face. "Why…Why'd he faint?"

"He didn't know he was the father, and I sprang it on him while my breasts were hanging out!"

"Oh…well." This caused the room to burst into laughter.

"Have you seen dad?" the redhead asked later, when everyone had calmed down.

"Yeah, I saw him a few minutes ago. He was making out with that nice lady who delivered Naru-chan. Can I hold him?"

"WHAT!"

"Jeese Red, you don't have to freak out on me. I just wanted to hold my godson is all…"

"No, not…oh never mind!"

* * *

><p>"Are you alright sir?" a woman's voice asked, startling him out of his trance. He jerked towards the source to find a woman with reddish pink hair and brown eyes starring at him curiously.<p>

"Yeah, just…"

The woman smiled knowingly. "It's alright, I understand. Which one is yours?"

He pointed wordlessly to the napping newborn. The more he looked at him, the more he knew it was true. The child…that wonderful little baby was truly his.

"You want to hold him some more?" the woman asked. His head jerked toward her again. Some more? He hadn't even got to hold him once!

"Can I?"

"Yeah, you just tell the nurses in there! They'll let you…usually. Come on, I was coming to see my little boy anyway!"

"When was he born?" she asked, trying to make conversation while they waited.

"Last night…about 3:30ish, I think. Yours?"

"Yesterday at about 8:42pm! What's his name?"

"I…I don't know. I wasn't there for anything… I just found out he was mine…"

"Oh…"They fell silent as the two nurses on duty gently picked up the newborns, made the two settle in nearby rocking chairs, and prepared to set the infant boys in their parents arms.

"Hey, I remember you! You're the one that fainted when Kushina-chan told you this little precious was yours!" the familiar voice of Keiko said cheerfully. He smiled warily at the nurse and nodded. "Well, here you are dear," she said, handing him a bottle. "It's Kushi-chan's breast milk. In case he wakes up and starts acting fussy. No be sure and protect his head!"

The baby was gently put into his arms. The instant the child's soft skin touched his, he froze, scared of hurting the newborn. He couldn't do this! He didn't know how! He was going to screw it up, and then Kushina was going to hate him and never speak to him again! He was scared stiff, when he needn't worry.

He was thinking of himself when _he—_the tiny child in his arms—deserves everything he could give. He look down into the little one's whiskered face stunned at how amazing he is. Tiny body, tiny nose, tiny eyes filled with fire…so unbelievably breathtaking…and he was his!

The child had only been in his arms a few minutes, and already he was waking up from his slumber. Slightly dazed, he blinked several times before starring up…into the bright blue eyes that so closely mirrored his own. A smile broke across his small face, showing off his toothless gums.

"He's beautiful," the other woman said happily, watching father and son's first meeting.

"Yeah…he is," he whispered, agreeing completely.

He'd awoken alone, in an empty room. The last thing he's remembered was falling into darkness after Kushina had told him he was a father. He'd blacked out on the floor, but awoken on the second uncomfortable bed in her room. A sloppily written note was stuck to his chest.

_Blondy,_

_Miss Keiko has taken Fishcake-chan back to the nursery and me and Red have gone to the cafeteria. We'll bring you back some coffee. Don't go anywhere or do anything stupid. Red still wants to talk to you._

_Tsume_

_Ps._

_I want to thank you for defending Red from Stupid. I appreciate it._

He was pretty sure "Red" was Kushina, and "Fishcake-chan" was the baby…but he honestly had no idea who "Tsume" or "Stupid" was. He also couldn't stay in that room. He didn't know why, but the silence scared him.

At first, he hadn't been heading toward the nursery. Mainly just wandering around the labyrinth of hallways. But…he'd somehow found his way there…looking at his son, who's name he still didn't know!

"He's beautiful honey," his mother said, another voice breaking into his thoughts. He looked up to see her and the man he'd earlier found out was his father standing over him. He new father, who sported an imprint of a hand across his cheek, was looking from the baby's face to his own.

"Why does Naru-chan-" he began to say, but getting interrupted by Tsunade.

" 'Look like Nato-kun?' I'm guessing you want to ask?" she finished for him.

"Um…yeah."

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out Uzumaki! Minato is that little boy's father!"

"How did you know?" he heard himself ask in surprise.

She turned to him with her hands on her hips. "Namikaze Minato, are you really going to sit there and mock my intelligence? I delivered that child if you don't recall and I went through labor with you! I can tell if one newborn looks like another, and then put two and two together, don't you think?"

"Right…sorry Ma."

"So Naruto really is my grandchild?" Jiraiya asked with a smile.

Naruto…his name was Naruto! He knew it now!

He smiled uneasily at them, secretly doing a victory dance in his head. Then he turned back to his son. He still wasn't used to the fact that this man was his father. He was so unlike the one he'd grown up with! Upon thinking this, he had an epiphany.

"Ma, I just thought of a way to get Aunt Yuki, Uncle Dan, and Maruko to leave us alone! Just have them visit and let them see Naruto-kun! They have the same views as Grandmother and Grandfather, so they should have the same reaction that those two did!"

She looked at him a moment before she whacking herself upside the head and then kissed his cheek.

"Genius! Why didn't I think about that?"

"Hey Blondy, there you are! Do you know how long we've been looking for you?" The one he thought was Tsume and Kushina had arrived. He smiled sheepishly at them.

"Sorry! I had some things to think about."

Tsume nodded, her face set in a glare…until she noticed Jiraiya's cheek, which he'd forgotten to ask about.

"Hey, what happen to you Pervert Grandfather?" (Her newest nickname for him.)

Tsunade answered for him. "He thought it appropriate to comment on how he was going to turn Naru-chan into the 'Ultimate Ladies Man.' I figured it was ok to go ahead and put a stop to that nonsense before he tried to do some harm to my grandbaby."

The two women's eyes narrowed in confusion at the "grandbaby" comment, and he figured he better explain before they asked.

"Kushina, meet my mother Tsunade" Then he smiled at her as she realized that the woman was his "aunt". Time more yet more explanations!

* * *

><p>"Who knew my sister would settle for a townhouse of all things! It's disgraceful for someone of our family! And in this part of town no less!" the voice of Nobuhiho Yuki said, seeming to expand to fill the whole street were everyone could hear. It was in fact a nice neighborhood near the shopping district.<p>

"Maruko! Don't tarry and come along!" her sharp voice called out again.

"Yes ma'am!" came the obedient reply. The girl had been living with them for several months now, so to better become used to the place were she would be living after she and Minato got married.

The woman raised her hand to ring the doorbell, but the door was thrown open before she could reach it. In the doorway stood a tall man with a mane of spiky white hair, held back in a ponytail that fell halfway down his back.

"Yuki, Dan, and Maruko I'm guessing?" They nodded. "Come on in then. Tsu-chan and Nato-kun have been expecting you, although they're not home at the moment. Both just got off work and are on their way home. Now, I must ask you to be silent from this point on. Naru-chan is asleep."

"Naru-chan?" the youngest of the group asked curiously, a little louder than desired.

An infant's cry filled the hall.

"Damn it! Do you know how long it took to get him down?" the man demanded, turning toward the direction of the cried.

"It's alright, I got him!" a familiar voice rang out from above them. A familiar voice to all the visitors. One they hadn't expected to hear again. A few minutes after calling out, the red hair came into view from a nearby stairwell.

"Hey! You three are here!" Kushina said with a smile, pausing for a moment while the three starred at her in open mouthed shock. Another cry brought her to attention and reminded her of her present quest. Before they knew it, she was on the run to the end of the hallway and into the room at the end.

"It's ok Naru-chan," they heard, "Mommy's here!"

"Mommy?"

"Naru-chan's her son. Would you like to meet him? We have some time to kill anyway, until Tsu and Nato get back."

"We might as well. The child is Maruko-chan's cousin after all."

"Shina-chan, bring Naruto in here. The Nobuhiho's want to meet him!"

"Kay!"

The redheaded teen came back in, walking now and cradling a wrapped bundle.

"Meet Naru-chan!" she said cheerfully, revealing the mini copy of the couple's "son".

"Wha…?"

"How…?"

"He's…?"

"My son!" they heard behind them, finishing the last dropped off sentence. They turned to see the familiar blonde they'd come to visit, and behind them his 'aunt'. "And I see you've met my father and wife!"

"Nobuhiho Minato, what is the meaning of this…this…this outrage!" Yuki demanded.

"What have you done!" Dan demanded, "I know we've raised you to be above this!"

He smiled at them.

"Quite simply, I know. Everything…my dear aunt and uncle."

With this…the woman formerly know as Mother, now as Aunt Yuki, fainted.

* * *

><p><strong>Please Review! Sadly, this story is over…minus the epilogue, which should be up in the next day or two. I can't think of anything for a sequel now, so I've working on a prequel, which will tell the beginning of Tsunade and Jiraiya's story. It's going to be called <strong>**Suppose to Be… ****and should be up soon as well if you want to read it.**

**Again, thanks for reading and Please Review!**


	11. epilogue

_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

**December**

"Tsume, what are you doing?" Namikaze Kushina asked curiously as she rocked a sleeping two month Naruto. The two woman were once again in a hospital maternity ward waiting room. This time for their friend and fellow FTC member, Hyuuga Katsumi, who was busy trying to deliver her baby. They had been waiting in her room with her…up until her husband Hiashi had arrived.

It was the first time either had met the man and for some reason, both of them had expected him to be like his twin. Rude when you first met him, but when you got to know him a pretty nice guy. Boy were they wrong.

This guy was anything but a "nice guy." if anything he was one of the most awful guys on the planet. He ranked right up there with Kushina's father, Taka (who Tsume now refused to even talk to once she had found out what he'd done to Kushina and Minato), and a new couple from school who already had two kids the same ages as Hana and Kiba. The couple's names were Uchiha Fugaku and Mikoto.

"I'm making a list. Before you joined the FTC, the girls and I decided to hold a contest since all our kids were do around the same time. These are the results," the brunette explained, waving a sheaf of papers in the air.

"What was the contest about?"

"Death threats during pregnancy! I'm just waiting for the results on Blue-chan so I can find out the winner!"

The redhead gaped at her.

"Hey, why are you just staring at me? Sayama-chan suggested it!"

The woman sighed at her friends antics. She also wondered where she was in the ranking…

"If you aren't there, how do you know how many threats she gave?"

"Hizashi-kun is going to be there during the delivery. I got him to promise me he would keep count!"

"Oh…How many do you think she'll give though? You know how meek and shy Katsu-chan is. I just can't picture her threatening anyone with death, let alone her husband. Didn't you see how scared she was of him?"

The brunette's eyes twinkled. "Yee of little faith, my poor naïve apprentice! You of all people should know how much it hurts to squeeze a kid out! That pain is enough for anyone, including shy little Blue-chan, to give a death threat!"

The redhead sighed again, this time disbelievingly.

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><p>Sometime later, a scowling Hiashi and a smiling Hizashi walked into the room, one twin following another. The older walked straight past them, not even glancing their way. Hizashi on the other hand came over to them.<p>

After stopping to smile down at a sleeping intertwined Tenten, Neji, and Rock Lee (a new child in the group who lived with his uncle), he turned to the adults to give the good news.

"A healthy baby girl was born just an hour ago. She was delivered safely at six pounds, four ounces at about 4:16 pm. Hiashi-sama has declared her be named Hinata, and Katsumi-sama has agreed. You all may see them now if you like."

Everyone agreed. There was a few complaints as children and a certain pineapple haired husband were woken up, but soon everyone was heading towards the Hyuuga's private room.

The Namikaze wife saw Tsume linger behind for a few minutes and converse with the Hyuuga male before grinning and write something down on one of her papers.

Upon reaching Katsumi's room, the door was opened to show the shy Hyuuga woman bending over a bassinet.

"Blue, move over! We wanna see the Chibi!" Tsume yelled. The woman jumped at the unexpected intrusion, but then turned to smile at them.

"P-please!"

They walked over to the sides of the bassinet, and several congratulations were offered. It truly was a beautiful little girl, with the dark hair of her mother and her slightly lavender hued eyes.

"She's gorgeous Katsu-chan! Can I hold her?"

"O-of course Kushina-c-chan!"

"Thanks! Can someone hold Fishcake-kun?"

"I'll do it!" Yoshino volunteered. "My hands are free!" she said cheerfully, pointing to the sleeping Nara males. As soon as he'd walked into the room, Shikaku decided to follow his snoozing son's example and fall asleep. The child was still in his arms. It would've been hard to tell the two apart except for the obvious size difference. Other than that, they were alike down to the shape of their ponytail restrained hair.

"Kay! Thanks Scary-chan!"

The redhead handed over her blonde headed baby and gently picked up the new arrival, being sure to support her head.

"She feels so light!"

"Yeah? Well she looks like a doll! Now, if I can have everyone's attention? I hold in my hands the results of the Family Ties Club Death Threat Contests! Gather around, and I shall read them aloud!" Tsume said excitedly, once again brandishing her papers.

The redhead sighed once again and replaced the newborn in her bed. "Alright Dog-chan, get it over with!"

The woman cleared her throat and began.

"In last place, with only 2 ½ threats, is Yumi!" Pause for applause.

"Tied for 5th, with three threats each, is our very own Yumi and Katsumi! Let's hear it for them folks! In 4th with six, is Miss Matsuri! Another round of applause please!"

"Now, our top three! In 3rd, with eighteen is… Nara Yoshino! Her total includes 3 to the doctor, twelve to Shikaku, and three threats of castration! In second place is Kushina, with twenty-eight! This includes eight to Minato, who wasn't even there, two to Jiraiya, or to Miss Tsunade, four to me, and twelve to Naru-chan!"

"And of course, that leaves me in 1st with 109.5! My total includes 5 to Kiba-kun, 70 to Taka, 2 to the nice lady who was sharing my room, 4 to the doctor, and 28.5 to the no good bastard who knocked me up the second time!"

Everyone applauded while the Inuzuka did a bow. "Thank you, Than-" she was interrupted by a loud squeal.

They all turned to Yamanaka Ume, who was looking into the bassinet.

"Come see, come see!" she said enthusiastically, motioning them to come look. Once again, everyone crowded around the baby bed, and none of them could fight the smile that broke across their faces at the sight.

Yoshino had put Naruto down into it to retrieve Shikamaru from his father's weakening grasp as he fell further into unconsciousness, and he had fallen asleep. Somehow, his and little Hinata's hands had found each other.

Both babies were asleep, their small bodies drawn up next to each other. Their heads where together, forehead to forehead, and their hands clasped together in fists. A faint pink blush had spread across Hinata's face.

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><p><strong>Please Review! Sorry, but this was the last chapter (T-T)… the first chapter of the prequel <strong>**Suppose to Be…**** should be posted soon, if you care to read it. I'll put a link on here when it's up. Thanks for reading, especially if you've been reading from the beginning. Hope you've enjoyed it!**


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